USDA agricultural census for 2012 begins in December

The US Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will soon be conducting the 2012 Census of Agriculture.

NASS is committed to ensuring that all farms and ranches are counted in the census and to collecting data that accurately represents U. S. Agriculture. Data from every agricultural operation, regardless of size, is needed for the census.

Information from the Census of Agriculture is used in all types of agricultural planning and decision-making. A few examples of data use include: community planning by county extension offices to ensure availability of needed services, helping companies decide where to put the next feed store or equipment dealer, assisting lending institutions with information to provide sufficient funds for operational loans, and providing USDA with information to determine if its service centers are staffed at appropriate levels to assist farmers and ranchers.

The Utah office of NASS wants to make sure all Utah farmers and ranchers are counted and is asking everyone involved in production agricultural including crop production, animal production, horticulture, bees and honey, horses, pastureland, idle farmland, etc. to be sure to be counted. Operators are encouraged to contact the Utah NASS Field Office to provide their names, addresses and phone numbers to ensure they receive a Census of Agriculture form.

In an effort to include all operators, NASS is especially asking for contact information from women and minority operators. Operators can contact the Utah NASS Field Office by calling (800) 747-8522, faxing (801) 524-3090, E-mailing nass-ut@nass.usda.gov, or mailing to PO Box 25007, Salt Lake city, Utah 84125-9907 or go on line at www.agcounts.usda.gov/cgi-bin/counts and enter their contact information.

The information provided is kept confidential by law, and will not be disclosed to any other government or private entity. The 2012 Census of Agriculture data collection is for the 2012 crop year and forms for data collection will be sent out in December 2012. Results from the 2007 Census of Agriculture are available on the NASS website at www.nass.usda.gov.